Have a happy new year! May 2020 bring you all lots of health, happiness and joy with your classic cars!
2020-01-01
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Recent car stories from Tomorrow’s Classics
1999 Mercedes-Benz G500 Convertible – this already was a classic car when it left the factory!
The Mercedes-Benz G wagon has been a very special car for as long as I can remember. It has been produced in more or less the same shape since 1979, it has always been and still is the benchmark in off-road capabilities, it came in engines ranging from a 72 horsepower 4-cylinder diesel up to a 630 horsepower 12-cylinder and most of all, it is a lovable quirky car. I don’t think this is true for any other car on the planet. However, the G wagon convertible is even more special: It was both a serious off-road car and a quirky fashion item at the
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W140) vs. Jaguar XJ (X300) – a clash of cultures in the 1990’s luxury class!
Imagine it was the year 1997, and you were going to spend significant money on your new luxury sedan. Unlike today (where luxury sedans across all brands appear increasingly identical) you were confronted with significant alternatives: Do you prefer technology or classiness? Space or grace? Back then, you actually had real choices. The best example for this clash of cultures is probably the choice between the W140 Mercedes S-Class and the Jaguar XJ of the X300 / X308 series. Let’s have a look! The philosophies behind these two cars are about as different as luxury sedans got back in the 1990’s Specifically, let’s compare a
1990 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II: This is as crazy as Mercedes got in the 1990’s, and they have become really expensive meanwhile…
With its giant rear wing, the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II was about as crazy as Mercedes design got back in 1990. The car was produced in a small homologation series of 502 units (of which 500 were actually shipped to the market). The four valve four cylinder engine delivers 235 hp at a stunning 7,200 rpm, accelerating the car up to 250 km/h. One of the most interesting aspects about this car is the evolvement of its market value since 1990 – it wasn’t always as precious as today! Up to about 2010, these cars were traded at no more than 50,000 Euro,
1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL: Rocky and his more distinguished family members
There is little doubt that the Mercedes SL R129 is on its way to become a true classic. When it came out in 1989, it clearly pushed technological boundaries, it was born with a classic design and, last not least, it simply is a Mercedes SL. Legendary designer Bruno Sacco, head of Mercedes-Benz design from 1975 until 1999 (over 20 years, can you imagine this in today’s short-lived times?), referred to the R129 as “the most perfect car in my career”. The most perfect car of my career! Bruno Sacco, former head of Mercedes-Benz design, about the R129 However, as is often the case, not